Patents

A U.S. patent is an intellectual property right “to exclude others from making, using, offering for sale, or selling the invention throughout the United States or importing the invention into the United States,” in exchange for public disclosure of the invention when the patent is granted.

Three types of patents are available, including:

Utility patents cover any new and useful process, machine, article of manufacture, or composition of matter, or any new and useful improvement thereof.

Design patents cover a new, original, and ornamental design for an article of manufacture.